


Fantasy AU

by the_ghostwriter96



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fae AU, Fairies, Fairy AU, M/M, Vampires, fae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 08:39:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16014311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_ghostwriter96/pseuds/the_ghostwriter96
Summary: ReuploadDanny is going to do a very important task for his village, and he stops to rest in a cave. Little does he know, the cave is inhabited.





	Fantasy AU

Rain began to pour as though it hadn't been painfully hot only a few hours prior, and Daniel found himself cursing summer. Cursing both the sun that had burned his shoulders and cheeks, and the rain that now drenched his clothes and rucksack. Finding any dry wood for a fire would be impossible now, and even if he did, where would he light it? It was going to be a long, cold, wet night and he wasn't going to get any sleep, and then he'd have another hot, tired day because it couldn't ever rain during the day! No, only at night when it started to cool down. And to make things even better, he was running low on fruits and he hadn't found any mango or jackfruit.

So along with cold, tired and wet, he'd either be hungry or eat the last of his dried-banana. Climbing over roots and fallen trees, and maneuvering around and under branches and foliage was a lot more tiring than he'd expected it to be. Somehow.

He made a mental note to really tell it to Jazz for talking him into this, but he knew there was no point. He knew what she'd say; he's an earth Fae, he needed to be more in tune with nature, he complains too much, *someone* had to deliver the letter. That is, if the ink hadn't run so much that it was unreadable. He swore under his breath, clutching the rucksack to his chest as though to shield it. However pitiful the attempt. He had to find somewhere to take shelter and dry out his supplies. He'd been walking for the whole day, so about twelve hours to the last fourty-eight. So about sixty hours walking from the village... he had no idea how close he was to the next village. His natural sense of direction didn't do him any good if he couldn't see his map, and he couldn't check the map without one, light, and two, soaking it worse than it was already. But after another half an hour or so, just when he was getting ready to take semi-shelter under a tree and just sit in the rain until morning, he caught a glow in the distance and his hope soared; maybe it was a village, or a camp- preferably one with an extra tent. The closer he got, though, the more certain he was sure there weren't any tents. The glow was a fire, so it was either magic or it was under something more stable and less flammable than a tent. The rain was still pouring, heavily, and when he finally reached the fire he was dismayed.

It was a cave. A small fire inside a cave that went so deep, he couldn't see the end even with the light from the fire. He took cover immediately, but didn't move toward the fire- someone had set it up, along with branches and twigs stacked up to one side, so someone was clearly around. What if it was some unfriendly, Unseelie? Or some unfriendly humans? Or unfriendly anything, really, Danny wasn't picky about who he didn't want confrontation with. But his options were few, and consisted of going back out into the rain or sitting by the fire until someone came back. There was also the possibility that they were actually still in the cave, back in the darkness where Danny couldn't see. Either way, after a moment's hesitation, he chose the fire and sat down by it.

The cave was small, more like a series of large rocks on both sides and a longer one jutting out over those, but it served as a cave anyway. He nervously, timidly glanced off into the darkness before turning his back to it completely. If something was going to come out and kill him, he didn't want to watch it happen. Instead, he opened his rucksack and pulled out the contents. He lined them up by the fire, papers unfolded (and letter un-enveloped) to dry properly. He was pleased to find that the ink had barely run, had smudged at most, and that his map wasn't ruined. His dried-banana slices were a little soggy, but hey, it was what it was. And anyway, they tasted fine. Sitting by the warm fire, a little drier and a little less hungry than he'd been before, he let out a sigh and laid back. He clasped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Things weren't as bad as he'd made it out to be in his head, he supposed. And if he had planned better, he could have stayed overnight in the last village he had passed. It was his own fault he ended up soaked and miserable, not Jazz's, even if she had been the one to suggest he go. Maybe she was right about him being closer to nature, anyway. His half-human side often got the better of him, unlike with her, it seemed.

He began to doze off in a slightly mote positive mindset. The fire was warm and comfortable. The ground somehow didn't seem so hard. It smelled of muskmelon. The light, airy brushes against his neck and cheeks were lulling. Fingertips grazing his skin, gently turning his head to the side pulled him slightly from his trance and he managed to open his eyes- and sat up, throwing himself back and scrambling over his map.

There, where he has just been laying, sat a very amused-looking creature of some kind. Fae or Elf, he had pointed ears, pale skin and high cheekbones. He was tall, even kneeling on the ground, with silver hair that fell gracefully down his back and around his shoulders. His lips were parted in a smirk, revealing a row of sharp teeth. His nails where he balanced a hand on the dirt floor were black, long and sharp, and his eyes were an unnatural red, and Danny realized then what he was dealing with: A blood Elf. The scent of Danny's favorite fruit, the sense of wellbeing, the calmness: he had been under the Elf's intoxication, lured in by the fire that had probably been set up as a trap and he had fallen for it!

He felt like a fool, and the illusion of safety was gone. He glared at the Elf. "You would have broken the treaty."

The Elf sat down, crossing his legs, his smirk still taking his features. "Ah," He said, with a voice that sounded both smug and high-class. A common combination, in Danny's experience with the few Elves he had met. "You're a Fae. That would be why your blood smells so sweet. Very tempting, Little Fairy."

Danny just glared, and then lowered his eyes to the crumbled map underneath him. He carefully shifted off of it, smoothing it out on the ground. The letter, luckily, he hadn't touched. When he was finished, he rose to his feet. "If that's all, I think I should be going." He bent to pick up his rucksack to begin packing his things away, when the Elf was suddenly standing only an inch away. Fingers dipped beneath his chin and pulled Danny up until he was looking up at the Elf.

"Why so soon? You've only just arrived." He smiled a charming smile, one that pulled him in and urged him to stay. Instead, he shoved the Elf back firmly by the shoulders.

"Stop that, before I put a curse on you." But before he could say anything more, there was a face buried in his neck and he had to bite back a gasp. "Hey-"

"I smell human in you, Little Fairy." The words were mumbled against his skin. "Are you sure you can make good on that threat?"

Danny shoved him again, harder this time and knelt quickly. He made quick work of folding the papers and shoving them back into his rucksack before slinging the whole thing over his shoulder. "If you touch me again, you'll find out." He was bluffing, but his tone must have been convincing enough because the Elf didn't move toward him again. "You're a pathetic being, to lure in travelers this way."

"As opposed to what, precisely?" The amusement was gone from his voice, replaced by something bitter and sarcastic. "Am I meant to starve?"

"They'll give you blood in the city."

"Yes, the absolute bare minimum to sustain my life. Why would it matter if it leaves me hungry and unwell? There isn't nearly enough to go around." He clasped his hands behind his back. "And I am not much of a city-dweller."

"Oh."

Danny had thought they had enough blood. It was the city, after all- how could they not? There were so many humans and beings there, how could they not have enough? But, he supposed, if not enough people volunteered... his incredulous anger faded away. Like a tiger or any animal, blood Elves had to eat as well. And it wasn't his fault he was so restricted in his diet. Danny envied humans in that they could eat so many things, while he was restricted to fruits. Not in it's entirety, but somewhat, Danny could relate. The Elf relaxed slightly when Danny didn't argue, shoulders falling lax and suddenly he felt bad.

Danny crossed his arms nervously over his chest. "If you'll let me stay here," He began, not completely sure what he was getting into. "I'll let you eat. I have somewhere to be," He added quickly. "So be mindful."

Now it was the Elf that was incredulous. "And only moments before, you considered me pathetic."

"You did try to steal my blood."

"So I did. And here I was willing to let you stay, even without feeding."

"You need to eat, don't you?"

And though he still appeared doubtful, he motioned for Danny to sit. "In that case," But why would he be doubtful? Did he think Danny would take it back? That he was joking? "It *has* been quite a while."

Danny wasn't sure what to brace himself for. Would it hurt? How risky was it? Most Elves wouldn't risk breaking the treaty and killing a Fae, but what if he did go overboard? Danny vaguely remembered something about a bloodlust being talked about around the village following the death of a human, but he'd been so small when it happened. He didn't remember much more than that it was an Elf, and it was just before the treaty had been made.

As Danny sat down, setting his possessions aside, the Elf chuckled, a strangely villainous sound. He shot him a glare. "What are you laughing about?"

"You look ill." He was smirking, but his eyes were tired. Like he knew he wouldn't be eating tonight, and had accepted it, and that wounded Danny's pride.

"Well, I'm not, so do as you will. Get it done."

"Are you quite sure?" The Elf asked, kneeling down beside Danny. "There aren't many Fae that would offer their blood to an Elf."

"I'll take it back if you don't get on with it."

The Elf sat down instead. "My name is Vladimir. I suppose you won't tell me your name."

"Danny," He gave his human name. "The name is unique."

"Not unique; foreign. I've only been here a short time."

"Where did you come from?"

"Europe. Are you from here?"

"Yes. From a mostly-human village."

"That would explain some things."

"Like what?" Danny snapped, scowling at Vlad.

"You are well aware of the way Fae think of Elves."

"Yet you're the only one here that won't let it go." There was a long silence in reply, in which Danny wasn't sure that the Elf wouldn't tell him to leave. When he began to feel a little awkward, he looked at Vlad and added, "I'm a mixbreed. There's no point in me holding race against anyone."

The Elf didn't return his gaze. "I apologize." Was all that was said in return. His voice was tight, strained, as though he was having trouble swallowing his pride.

There was more silence between the two, and Danny laid back and closed his eyes. He was exhausted after such a long travel, and he was a sun Fae after all- he slept at night. The conversation had gone a little sour, and he almost regretted speaking out at all. He was just tired of prejudice. Prejudice against his human half, against his Fae half, against his mixed blood- it was as exhausting as walking for straight days. And to think he'd have to walk back, too.

Danny was the one that broke that silence, with a yawn. "Are you going to take my blood, or not? I need to rest before morning."

"The night's barely begun." Vlad seemed back to his original, pompous attitude. "But yes, if you don't mind."

"So do it, then." Danny didn't open his eyes.

"I can put you under my spell again, if you'd like- it would help the pain."

Danny sat up, tilting his head to the side to reveal his neck. "Go ahead."

And then, just as it had earlier, the scent of muskmelon overcame the musty smell of wet rock, mud and burning wood. It was the only thing he could smell. His mind felt fuzzy in a comfortable way, and any anxiety toward the Elf's feeding on him had disappeared, replaced with comforting thoughs; it would only last a second, he was doing a good deed, he would back to full strength by dawn, he had made a new friend. He wasn't spending the whole night alone in the rain, he was comfortable, with his new friend by a fire. There was a soft touch, a gentle caress against his neck and then something pleasantly tingly. Almost like when a leg or an arm fell asleep, but softer, and more comfortable. Everything felt nice and good. His entire body was warm, the kind of warm you feel on the inside when you drink hot tea on a cold day, and he almost dozed off. The tingling stopped, replaced by a stinging and then the spell faded away and Danny was left back in the stark, rainy night. On the hard ground of a cave and by a fire that was only barely enough to keep him warm, and feeling a little hungry and a little more weak. He glanced over. The Elf caught a drop of blood from his chin with a finger, and licked it from his fingertip. Otherwise, there was no trace of what had just occured.

When Danny reached up to feel the wound, it had almost healed over completely already. Both due to his Fae blood, and likely the Elf's magic. The Elf's eyes had a red glow to them, and his skin a blue tint that Danny hadn't noticed before. His hair had taken a darker shade; all a result of using his magic, causing his Glamour to falter. Danny didn't mind the subtle changes, though. He thought that Glamours to look more human were silly- it wasn't as though no one knew what they truly looked like, anyway. It was just a pathetic attempt at solidarity with the humans after so long of conflict.

There was a stretch of silence between them, not tense like the ones prior but awkward in that neither of them knew what to say now. Danny considered just laying back down and closing his eyes to sleep, but somehow that felt even more awkward than the sitting in silence. Danny knew that in the city, this was a fairly common occurrence. According to Vlad, not common enough to feed all of the blood Elves well, but common in that it was something humans would volunteer to do. So Danny had heard, at least. Perhaps this was something he would do, if he ever went to the city. He only felt a little bit weak, not like he'd expected at all, and it didn't even hurt except at the very end when the spell had worn off.

Vlad broke the silence, this time. "Thank you, Little Fairy."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I'll come by again on my way back. Do you stay here?"

"For now. I've set up further in the cave." He said, but his tone was incredulous again. "Why would you return?"

Danny felt his face warm, and turned away. "Well, I'll be coming this way," Lingering thoughts from the spell, he supposed, in that they were (or could be) friends. Or at least friendly enough to warrent a second visit. Or maybe it wasn't the spell, and Danny was just a fool- it seemed clear from the Elf's tone that it was a foolish idea. "I won't, then."

"Feel free, Fairy. It's no trouble to me, though I tend to go out after sunset."

And after a bit of small-talk, Danny turned in for the night. When he woke up in the morning, Vlad was nowhere to be seen (likely sleeping in the darkness of the cave) and he set out once again. The rain had stopped, and the world was damp, but it at least seemed as though Danny had made a new friend.


End file.
